There is a great demand to contour the body and reduce cellulite. Cellulite is often described as skin with ripples or dimples or as skin having a cottage cheese or orange-peel texture. Cellulite mainly affects women, although some men also suffer from cellulite. Typically, cellulite is most prevalent on their thighs, hips and buttocks, but it also can be found on the breasts, lower abdomen and upper arms as well. In an effort to reduce cellulite, many people resort to one of three treatment options: liposuction or similar methods of removing fat, vigorous massage, or cellulite creams. Unfortunately, none of these options have been effective at actually reducing cellulite. Additionally, each of these options requires distinct treatments for each area requiring treatment.
Cellulite is the herniation of superficial and deep fat into the dermis. Latest research suggests that longitudinal fibers or cords of connective tissue fascia, which is comprised of collagen, is progressively weakened by estrogen. The fascia hardens and loses its ability to contain the fat mass that is normally contained in chambers separated by septa of connective tissue. The weakened fascia allows the fat to move upward and push into the dermis. As the connective tissue gives way the fat mass is free to expand, leading to a wavy or dimpled skin appearance commonly called cellulite. Unfortunately, cellulite does not respond well to weight loss, exercise, creams, or surgical liposuction.
In an effort to reduce cellulite, many sufferers try to remove the underlying fat through surgical procedures such as liposuction or through liposuction alternatives. Liposuction involves suctioning excess adipose tissue from the body of a patient. Generally, adipose tissue is connective tissue comprising collagen fibers, reticular fibers, non-cellular material and adipocytes. Adipocytes, the fat cells, are enclosed membranes filled with globules of triglycerides. In normal fat the adipocytes have regular contours and form into grapelike clusters. The intracellular fat is relatively fluid and, if the membrane is pierced, will flow out of the cell into the interstitial space. The interstitial space includes the connective tissue as well as nerves, blood vessels, and lymphatics, among other substances.
While liposuction is effective at removing fat, traditional liposuction has not been effective in reducing cellulite and may actually make the cellulite appear worse. Additionally, traditional liposuction carries undesirable risks and side effects because it involves inserting a narrow tube, or cannula, through a tiny incision in the skin into the subcutaneous fatty tissue and repeatedly pushing and pulling through the fat layer, separating and puncturing the fat cells and suctioning them out. The procedure can damage nerves, lymphatics and vasculature in the surrounding area, often resulting in significant loss of blood as the blood is vacuumed out with the fat and the formation of seroma due to damaged lymphatic channels. In addition, the post-procedure recovery period is long and often accompanied by a great deal of inflammation, bruising and concomitant pain. Finally, each area needing treatment must be treated separately with liposuction.
Improvements to liposuction have somewhat diminished the danger and post-operative side-effects of traditional liposuction. For example, the tumescent technique uses injections of dilute amounts of an anesthetic and a vasoconstrictor to reduce pain and lessen blood loss. Further developments include using low energy laser therapy in conjunction with suction of the fat cells, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,605,079, issued to one of the inventors of this method and incorporated herein. Low level laser therapy (LLLT) has been used successfully post-operative to liposuction to reduce inflammation and pain. Despite the improvements, however, liposuction remains invasive and ineffective at treating cellulite and continues to require separate procedures at each distinct treatment area.
Non-invasive methods of reducing fat have also proven ineffective at reducing cellulite. In general, non-invasive methods are preferred because they minimize trauma to the patient, reduce the risk of infection, and speed up recovery time, among other reasons. Such non-invasive methods include subjecting a patient to electromagnetic energy, such as microwave, ultrasound or radio frequency radiation. These procedures are disadvantageous, however, because they utilize such high energy sources that they heat the surrounding tissue, which can result in damage to the tissue and pain. Again, recovery time is significant, and these methods are not effective at reducing cellulite.
A less traumatic non-invasive method of reducing fat is described U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0203594. U.S. Patent Publication 2005/0203594 discloses the use of low-level laser energy applied externally to the patient to release at least a portion of the intracellular fat into the interstitial space, wherein the released fat and damaged fat cells are removed from the patient's body through one or more of the patient's normal bodily systems. While effective for fat reduction, it would be desirable to apply this method to a broad area of the patient for faster and more efficient treatment.
It would be desirable to reduce treatment time for contouring a patient's body. It would also be desirable to map or measure a patient's full body to enhance treatment options. Therefore, an object of this invention is to provide a full-body non-invasive laser scanner for mapping and treating a patient. Another object of this invention is to provide a method of treating a patient's body with laser energy using a full-body laser scanner.